A Brazil-based Nigerian businessman, Uche Franklin Onyekwere, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, for allegedly hiding cocaine on his body and in his footwear.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, stated that the 47-year-old suspect was apprehended on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the airport’s arrival hall during inward passenger clearance from a South African Airways flight from Brazil via Johannesburg, following actionable intelligence. “Onyekwere was subjected to a full body scan, which confirmed illicit drug concealment. A subsequent strip search revealed a large parcel of white powder wrapped around his right thigh, later confirmed to be cocaine,” Babafemi said.
A total of three wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.60 kilograms, were recovered from Onyekwere’s body and the soles of his flat shoes.
During preliminary questioning, the suspect confessed that he purchased the cocaine in Brazil intending to resell it in Nigeria to raise capital for his business and to fund the naming ceremony of his newborn child. Babafemi added that Onyekwere has lived in São Paulo, Brazil, since 2008 and has operated a toy business for approximately nine years.
In related operations, the NDLEA reported additional drug seizures:
Tincan Seaport, Lagos: 55 jumbo bags of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 1,183 kg hidden inside a Hyundai SUV and a Toyota Matrix.
Niger State: A long truck was intercepted along the Dei-Dei Abuja Expressway on January 26, 2026, carrying 176 bags of skunk cannabis (2,735 kg) and 1 kg of synthetic cannabis (Colorado). Suspects Andy Chidogu (49), Kenneth Ogene (45), and Sadiq Olanrewaju (27) were arrested. Investigations revealed that the truck, driven by Ogene, departed Lagos on January 23 with flour for Ekpoma, Edo State, and later loaded the cannabis for transport.
Edo State: Suspect Shaibu Yusuf was arrested along the Auchi–Abuja Expressway with 66 bags of skunk cannabis (792 kg) concealed in charcoal sacks.
Babafemi said these arrests form part of the NDLEA’s ongoing operations to curb drug trafficking across Nigeria, noting that traffickers often employ clandestine methods, such as hiding cocaine in footwear, cakes, and other personal effects, to evade security checks.
The NDLEA assured that its efforts to combat drug trafficking nationwide will continue, targeting both domestic and international drug routes.
Elijah Adeyemi
No comments:
Post a Comment